Directions / Parking

Access by car from most directions will be easiest via junction 2 of the M40. Once off the motorway at junction 2, take the A355 towards Beaconsfield. At the Pyebush Roundabout take the A40 towards Gerrards Cross. After 1km take the left turn onto Potkiln Lane. Follow Potkiln Lane for 3.5km as it becomes Jordans Lane through Jordans village, and then becomes Twitchell's Lane. At the T-junction, turn left onto Newbarn Lane and follow the road for 600m, and PerkinElmer Ltd will be on your left. Parking will be on hard standing in the PerkinElmer car park.

It is possible to take cross-country roads from junction 17 or 18 of the M25 via Chorleywood and Chalfont St Giles; or on the A413 from Aylesbury and Amersham.

The nearest railway station is Seer Green & Jordans on the Chiltern Railways line between London Marylebone and Birmingham. The station is 2.5km from Assembly, through Seer Green village. There should be an hourly service (in both directions) stopping at the station on Sunday.

The Chiltern Hundreds 102 bus service operates hourly in both directions on Sundays between Heathrow Airport, Uxbridge, Beaconsfield and High Wycombe (Carousel Buses https://www.carouselbuses.co.uk/services/CSLB/101). The bus stop on the A40 at Bulstrode Park, opposite Potkiln Lane, is about 4km from Assembly, through Jordans village.

Terrain Description

Hodgemoor Woods is a 250-acre woodland located between Amersham, Chalfont St. Giles and Seer Green. This beautiful beech wood is gently sloping with a good path network and earth features.
Hodgemoor is a natural heritage area, designated by Natural England as a “Site of Special Scientific Interest” (SSSI). It is owned by Buckinghamshire Council but administered for them by Forestry England. It has a large network of footpaths and riding trails maintained by the Hodgemoor Riding Association, on behalf of and in coordination with Forestry England (https://hodgemoor.org.uk/)

When we last held an event here in late-April, the bluebells looked fantastic - we hope you will again be greeted by a carpet of blue in some parts of the wood.

The Map

The map will be 1:7500 with 5m contours, printed on A3 and then trimmed. Map updated in March 2024, using ISOM 2017-2.
It will be a double-sided map for Blue and Brown courses.
This event will be SIAC enabled.

Start Times

Starts will commence at 10:15; with last starts at 12:15 (including for the YBT/S). Courses will close at 14:00
You must report to the download tent at PerkinElmer by 14:00 at the latest, even if you retire or have not finished your course. The controls will be collected from 14:00 onwards.

The Start and Finish are approximately 500m from Assembly and car park. There is a road crossing between Assembly and the Start/Finish, which has a blind bend, so all under-16s should be accompanied by an adult whilst crossing the road.
All competitors must wear full torso and leg protection (i.e. no shorts).

Courses

Course lengths and climb listed below are subject to final planning and controlling:
Brown (8.0km; 130m climb)
Blue (6.5km; 125m climb)
Red - not a SCOA League course (4.7km; 80m climb)
Green (5.1km; 100m climb)
Short Green (3.7km; 60m climb)
Light Green (4.1km; 80m climb)
Orange (3.3km; 55m climb)
Yellow (2.5km; 45m climb)
White (1.6km; 30m climb)

The Yellow, Orange, Light Green and Green courses will be used for the Yvette Baker Trophy and Shield competitions for junior club teams.

There are no road crossings on any of the actual courses, but there is a road crossing between Assembly and the Start/Finish.

The Red course is particularly appropriate for runners who are new to orienteering (and can be run as a pair or group). It is a longer course but without the technical difficulty of the other harder courses.

Newcomers are very welcome to attend this event. Please contact the organiser if you are unsure which course to enter. Families and small groups would find the Yellow and Orange courses more suitable. The White course would be appropriate for very young children.

How To Enter

The event is now full, because we've reached our limit of 350 entries.

There will be no entries available in person at the event.

All entries for participants in the Yvette Baker Trophy or Shield competitions for juniors at this event were made before 23:59 on Sunday 14 April (onto the Yellow, Orange, Light Green and Green courses). Name changes can be made through until the morning of the event, but the number of entries on each YBT/S course for each club cannot be amended after 14 April.
More details for team managers and YBT/S juniors can be found at https://tvoc.org.uk/yvette-baker-trophy-and-shield-ybt-s/

Entry Cost

Monday 15 April 2024 and later (subject to availability)
Senior (British Orienteering member): £14
Senior (non-British Orienteering member): £16
Senior or Family group (on White or Yellow or Orange course): £8
Junior or Student: £5

Hire of individual SIAC (contactless timer): £2

Facilities

Car parking, mostly on hard standing.
Professional First Aid.
Portable toilets.
Tom's outdoor British and Continental Catering, selling hot food, cake, and hot & cold drinks (cash and cards accepted).
Note that TVOC will not be providing water out on the courses or at the finish/assembly - please come with your own supplies.

Further Information

Dogs
Well-behaved dogs are allowed on their leads in the car park. Please clean up after your dog. TVOC’s policy is for no dogs to accompany competitors on their runs.

Biosecurity
Hodgemoor Woods is administered by Forestry England, who state that “Many of our trees are under threat from the spread of pests and diseases. As human activity is a key factor we ask all organisations and individuals to adhere to this biosecurity advice.”

Yvette Baker Trophy and Shield (YBT/S) Qualifying Round
More details for junior squad managers relating to the YBT/S qualifying round can be found HERE.

Officials

Organiser: Paul Taylor (TVOC)    email organiser      0 7712 033 388
Planner: Mark Thompson (TVOC)
Controller: Mike Bennett (HH)